Help your child sleep better

Do you know when your child wants to be with you most?

It is before sleeping at night and after waking up in the morning.

This makes your child feel secure. And helps them to sleep peacefully.

Normally, we have sleep time issues with infants until the age of 1 year. Then once we feel that we have crossed the sleeplessness phase of ours, again we start facing the late-night sleep problem in most of the toddlers.

While the sleep timings in infants are linked to their time of birth, this issue can be due to multiple reasons in most of the toddlers. If kids do not sleep, parents also cannot sleep, and this gives rise to several other problems. While there can be several other reasons for deprived sleep in adults, this is also one of the major reasons.

I will make you aware of a few common reasons and help you with the resolutions.

 

Fear

Fear is a very common reason for avoiding sleep in kids. When infants transition to toddlers, they start understanding the life around them and, their parents are the ones whom they feel safe with. If at night you are not sleeping with them, they start feeling insecure and afraid.

The best way is to either read to them or strike a talk to divert their mind until they are off to sleep. Be sure to stay with them at least 20 minutes after they sleep so that they get into a deep sleep. Try to be there with them when they wake up. Keep their bedroom door open.

 

Over-active toddlers

The night is the time when usually the kids find their parents at home. This makes them very happy and active. They want to spend as much time as possible with them. Hence, they avoid sleeping. They think, if they sleep, it will be morning and again their parents will go back to work.

Do not discourage them from playing with you even though you are tired. Engage with them, and they will be tired and happy and will go off to sleep. Let them tell you what they did the whole day. Maybe some incidents with their friends or some small achievement etc., sharing which will make them happy. Encourage them to speak to you about unpleasant incidents as well and comfort them, else the worry will not let them sleep.

 

Afternoon nap

While afternoon nap after playschool is good but be sure not to have it extended. Else they will not be sleepy at night. Keep it very short and in the early afternoon.

 

Nature’s call

Most of the toddlers have the habit of waking up at night for a visit to the restroom. Once they get up, they end up having a disturbed sleep after that. Make sure they go to the restroom before sleeping and do not drink water for some time before sleep.

 

Over tiredness

Kids would have played and studied the whole evening. If they are too tired also, they feel restless and have disturbed sleep. Always freshen them up with lukewarm water, brush their teeth, and change to a comfortable nightdress. This will relax them and help them have an undisturbed sleep.

 

Food

The type of food and time of dinner impacts the child’s sleep as much as it does for the adults. Let them have a light and easy to digest dinner followed by a glass of warm milk. Warm milk is very good for sleep. Also, make sure they have dinner at least an hour before sleep. Avoid fatty and oily food for dinner. Avoid any energy drink or mixing any energy stimulant in the milk. This will have an adverse effect.

 

Family environment

If there are clashes between parents or other members of the family, kids get very disturbed. This impacts them in multiple ways including their sleep. Hence, try to avoid having arguments or fights in front of kids. In such cases, they pull themselves into a shell and do not communicate, and start nurturing a lot of fear and insecurity within themselves. This considerably impacts their sleep.

 

Screen time

This is gradually becoming the most prominent problem with kids in recent times. You should strictly reduce screen time for kids and completely avoid them at night. The blue rays from the electronic devices make them more active. Instead, give them storybooks or picture books and engage them in other bedtime activities. Why not have them tell you a story?

If the sleep problems are very high and are not getting cured, despite you taking care of all precautions, then it is always good to seek professional help. Sometimes, there are some infections which are the reason behind sleeplessness.

I hope my experience helps you.

Good night and sweet dreams!!!